National Republican., 1887-02-11
The Educational Bill.

The Educational Bill.
In one Of his Senate speeches of last year
Mr.. Blair urged the necessity for aid to
national education as follows:
This, then, is my argument. Il Is the duty
of government TO protect our persons AMI
property from danger The gross ignorance Of
the common people is a principal cause of dan.
ger TO our persons and properly. Therefore
1t is the duty of the government TO take care,
that the common people shall not be grossly
ignorant" t."-MdcdRdys Speech on Eiucdion.
The education Of the people is not only q
means but the best means, OF obtaining that
which oil allow to be chief end OF govern
ment.'-Ibid
Another great authority says.
"When we see government measures, which
are excellent in themselves, fail from the op-
position Of an ignorant people, we at first feel
irritated against the senseless multitude; but
when we como TO reflect, when we observe that
this opposition might have been easily fore
seen, and that the government, in proud ex
ercise of authority, has taken no steps to pre-
pare the minds Of the people, to dissipate their
preiudices, TO conciliate their confdence-our
Indignation Is transferred from the ignorant
and deceived people to its disdainiul leaders,"
Jeremy BcHtlGm's Works, Ii0lGaC 1, page 55S
Let me give further citations
Ignorance causes poverty.
By diminishing productive capacity, ani
therefore wealth.
Intelligence is most powerful factor in
industrial efficiency. The Intelligent is more
useful than the unintelligcnt laborer (d) Be-
cause he requires far shorter apprenticeship.
(J) Because he can do his work with
little or no superintendent (c) Be-
cause he is less wasterul of materials
(d) Because he readily learns to use machine
cry, however delicate or intricate. - IYdlkcr's
Political Economy, pages 80, SO.
By hindering improvement.
sin parts ef the country the ignorance of the
people of almost everything beyond their huts
and potatoes and pigs, their entire lack OF
practical sense and judgment, and of that en-
erGetic and progressive spirit which advance.
ment in education is apt to bring has hitherto
been one OF tho greatest hinderances to the
progress the country. With this ignorance
there has often been coupled superstition, aud
a tendency to Incidence, increasing poverty,
distress, and discomfort" Irish question,
by King, pages 2S3, 2si.
ii. Ignorance causes poverty.
Illustration from Scotland and Ireland in
1s0O-'10:
~ am persuaded that the extreme proni-
gacy, improvidence, and misery which are so
prevalent among the laborIng classes in many
countries are chiefly to be ascribed to the want
OF education In proof OF this we need only
cast our eyes on the condition of the Irish
compared with that of the peasantry In Scot
land. Among the former you behold nothing
but beggary, wretchedness, and sloth; In Scot
land, on the contrary, under the disadvantages
Of worse climate and moro unproductive soil,
degree of decency and comfort, the fruit of
sobriety and industry. are conspicuous among
the lower classes. And to what is this disparity
in their situation to be ascribed except to the
influence Of education? In Ireland the educa.
tion of the poor Is miserab!y neglected; very
few of them can read, and they grow uo in a
total ignorance of what 1t most belts rational
creature to understand, while IN Scotland the
establishment Of free schools In every parish.
an essential branch OF the ecclesiastical con-
sltution Of the country, brings the means OF
instruction within the reach of the poorest,
who are there Injured to decency, industry, and
order."-ROber Hairs Works. 1, 2Ol, 2J2. OSlO.)
ii. Ignorance causes Generalization.
Illustration from Rome:
"But we must look beyond the political
institutions of Rome and seek in her social
CuHultlOu tuc Chusps VI inc ltll OI tue
republic. There was no Union of the
different classes of society IN common interests
and sympathies, nor any adequate gra1ltiou
Of classes to balance their relative forces With
out a middle class, industrious, orderly, pro.
gressiye, aud coutented, society was broadly
into the rich and the poor. And in the later
days ofthe republic both We're corrupted. The
rich became more covetous and grasplng.
The poorer classes were no less de.
moralized as citizens and depositaries of po-
litical power. Pauperized by bounties of grain
corrupted by bribery; debased by barbarous
and brutal entertainments; tainted with the
vices of slavery; without regulated industry
dlsunited by the confusion of many nationali-
| ties, and unsettled by incessant wars and revo
lutions, they were wanting In all the element:
Of sound democracy" Democracy in
Europe, l. pages 225, 226, 227.
Illustration from France:
"The peasants, suffering from want and re.
senting the oppression of the feudal lords, rose
| IN great numbers in different parts of France
| lin 1859; they burned many castles murdered
| the owners, and committed the most frightful
| outragcs upon women and children, 4
| and in later times the like passions were TO be
| revealed in excess no less moustrous and uu-
| tnral."-MdHs Democracy In Europe, III
pages 81, 90. See also TUNES 1hcient Regime,
pages 37i-ss0.
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